This is the time of year when my family is eager for school to begin. It seems every summer activity possible is scheduled for the last three weeks of summer. Our home becomes a revolving door of some configuration leaving for a camp or other trip. By this time of year, we crave our normal schedule and routine.

The current event is Cross Country camp for my two girls. One is starting her senior season and the other is striding into her sophomore year. I know this will seem like an over-zealous and proud dad, but I need to add this to the conversation: they are pretty good. My senior is being recruited by several colleges for next year and the sophomore is already on the radar of several “D1” schools.

As we have been entangled in this web of races and running, it is a very easy question to ask: How did they get so fast? It comes up often. Most people assume their mother and I were runners in college as well. Wrong! We both ran Track and Field in high school, but that is the extent of our training regiment. So as the question continues to surface from time to time, my standard answer has been rather simple, but very true:

We never told them they were slow.

We have long believed that our children will be tomorrow what we tell them they are today. [That will tweet…click HERE] While it is obvious they have had training and coaching, a very significant contributor has been the messages we have given them through our words of affirmation.

It is a simple application of what gets rewarded gets repeated. As soon as we became parents, we were their greatest cheerleaders. In fact, we praised them so much, some accused us of setting them up to be prideful and arrogant. That theory fails the moment you meet our kids. They are very humble. In fact, they struggle with some of the attention that comes their way from running and other events.

As you have reached this point of the post, let me share with you the main reason for this content. I recently discovered something that I think is GOLD! If you have kids, you MUST read this. The title is, “What Makes a Nightmare Sports Parent and What Makes a Great One”. It will change how you engage with your kids. Especially if they are active in extra-curricular activities like sports, art or music. I’m serious, it is a game-changer. As my goal is to help people leverage their life for God’s glory, this is me leveraging this platform to help anyone I can be the best parent possible.

Click HERE to read the post and then come back and let me know what you think. Also, you know someone who needs to read this. Please share this by using the icons below or copy and paste this link in an email: http://www.morrismatters.com/what-your-child-needs-to-hear